Adam RasmussenChannel 2 News
Dozens of homes were destroyed when flames ripped through residential neighborhoods this weekend in South Reno.
Thousands of homes were saved thanks to the hard work of firefighters, but also neighbors who banded together to help each other out when the Caughlin fire moved in.
One house on Pioneer Drive survived, but a tree and some bushes in the front yard caught fire. Things could have turned out much worse if it weren't for quick action.
The family says fire crews and the community pulled together, which is why the home is still standing.
"They turned around and saved my dad's house because [a] bush was on fire, the tree was getting ready to go and they just forced the hose in this direction," says Diane Sumner. "[They] tried so hard to save those houses up the street but couldn't."
The home belongs to former Reno mayor Sam Dibitonto, who says the family was at the mercy of the fire.
"You get a hot ember, boom, it takes right off," he says. "Just immediately."
Margo Bertelson has several friends and family living in the area. She says seeing neighbors run up and help put out the fire shows just how tight-knit this community is.
"Everybody will help everybody and that's one of the things that's nice about Reno," she says.
We caught up with firefighters that battled the flames in this neighborhood, saving most of the homes. One captain with Sierra Fire saw people working together, protecting their homes from the blaze. He says it was an amazing response from the neighborhood.
"We only have so many firefighters, and so we can't be everywhere at once," says Bill Steward with Sierra Fire. "It's something that the community is helping, and especially like this."
And that community continued helping each other Sunday.
Fire crews came and cut down bushes and parts of the tree that burned. Dibitonto says he's still in disbelief how much help everyone is still giving him, and he's incredibly grateful.
"Total strangers, people who just saw that we had a problem and it really puts your faith in man,"he says. "It really does."
